Beijing · Beijing · Place

Beiwu Park

A free, leafy suburban park near the Summer Palace with rice paddies, arched bridges and quiet waterways.

Written and signed by Xiangqun Li

3.3/5RatingFree entryTicketsummer 6:00-21:00 / winter 6:30-20:00Opening hours

What it actually is

Beiwu Park is a free, family-friendly green space in Beijing's Haidian district, set right next to the Summer Palace west gate. It borrows views of Yuquan Mountain and the Summer Palace pagoda, mixes small rice paddies, arched bridges and a boat-shaped viewing deck, and works well as a half-day quiet escape from central Beijing.

Editor's take

Xiangqun LiWritten and signed by

The verdict

Worth it only if you catch the right season (spring canola or autumn rice) and you like slow, quiet, farm-in-the-city walks or photography — I'd skip it off-season or if you want a real 'attraction'.

What's great

This is a working rice paddy inside the city, not a manicured park — you get canola flowers in spring, the smell of rice in autumn, water, a bit of hill, and actual farmhouses. That mix is genuinely rare this close to central Beijing.

It borrows the skyline of the Summer Palace as a backdrop, so you get that classic view without the ticket or the crowds next door.

Entry is free and it works as a low-effort half-day: locals treat it as a jogging and strolling route, and it holds up as a place to wander rather than tick off sights.

It photographs well in the right light — early or late, when the sun cuts through the trees — if you're the type who plans a trip around a couple of good shots.

Worth knowing

The payoff is seasonal. Canola flowers are a spring thing and the rice a late-summer/autumn thing — show up off-season and you're looking at plain paddies and not much else. Check what's actually in bloom before you commit the trip.

It's out toward the northwest edge near the Summer Palace, so it's a deliberate detour from central Beijing, not something you stumble into between other sights.

There isn't much 'to do' here — no marquee attraction, just fields, water and paths. If you need structure or a headline sight, you'll be underwhelmed, and the middling rating reflects that.

It's easy to confuse with the neighboring Yudong Park, and specific photogenic spots aren't signposted, so pinning down exactly where a nice view was can be a hassle on the ground.

Grounded in 28+ traveller reviews. Distilled by our editors from traveller reviews on Xiaohongshu and Douyin.

Essentials

Opening hourssummer 6:00-21:00 / winter 6:30-20:00

TicketFree entry

Rating3.3/5

Good to know

No pets allowedPets are not permitted inside the park to protect the rice paddies and wildlife.

Smoking prohibitedSmoking is strictly forbidden in most areas to prevent fire hazards near the rice plots.

Drone flying not allowedDue to proximity to Summer Palace and security restrictions, drones are not permitted.

Take the Xijiao Line to Summer Palace West Gate station; park entrance is 5 minutes on foot.

Bring an umbrella in July and August, the park is mostly outdoors with little shelter.

Wear comfortable walking shoes; paths are flat but can be muddy after rain.

Mossy stones near the small bridges are slippery, watch your step.

Trending now

Borrowed Scenery from the Summer Palace

The east garden is laid out so the Summer Palace's Foxiangge pagoda and Jade Spring Hill (a forested foothill of the Western Hills) appear framed across the lake. The result is a park that feels twice as deep as it actually is, with the iconic pagoda silhouette turning up unexpectedly between the trees.

A Living Rice Paddy in the City

A small but real Jingxi rice plot is kept here, continuing a Qing-dynasty (1644-1912) tradition of growing rice in the foothills west of Beijing. In late October the rice is harvested in the open, and you can watch ducks rest in the shallow water between rows. A bronze plowing-bull sculpture sits at the field edge.

An Easy Half-Day Escape from Central Beijing

The park sits 5 minutes on foot from the Xijiao Line metro station, with no entrance fee and almost no crowds on weekday mornings. The outer path is flat enough for small children on balance bikes, and the whole park can be walked in about 90 minutes at a relaxed pace.

Getting there

metroXijiao Line to Summer Palace West Gate, then 5 min walk to the east gate.

busRoutes 469, 539 or Zhuan 129 to Beiwucun or Summer Palace West bus stop.

carSmall lot by the south gate; fills up fast on weekends and holidays.

Plan this in the app →

Plan around this guide

Explore Beijing Browse itineraries Plan a trip with this place